Menu creator component documentation

Accessing the Backend

1. Log in to your Joomla website's backend (administrator panel) at yoursite.com/administrator.
2. Navigate to the Mx Menu Creator component using the main menu: Components > Mx Menu Creator.

Managing Categories

Categories are used to organize your menu items. The component uses Joomla's built-in category system.

Adding a New Category

1. From the Joomla backend, go to Content > Categories.
2. In the "Select Extension" dropdown, choose "Mx Menu Creator".
3. Click the New button (green plus icon) in the toolbar.
4. Fill in the category details:
   - Title: Enter a name for the category (e.g., "Appetizers", "Main Courses").
   - Alias: (Optional) A URL-friendly version of the title.
   - Description: (Optional) A description of the category.
   - Status: Set to "Published" to make it active.
   - Access: Set the access level (e.g., Public).
   - Language: Choose the language or "All".
5. Click Save & Close to create the category.

Editing a Category

1. Go to Content > Categories.
2. Select "Mx Menu Creator" from the extension dropdown.
3. Click on the category title or select it and click Edit.
4. Make your changes and save.

Deleting a Category

1. Select the category in the categories list.
2. Click Delete in the toolbar.
3. Confirm the deletion.

Note: Deleting a category will not delete the items within it, but they will become uncategorized.

Managing Items

Items represent the individual menu entries (e.g., dishes, products) in your menu creator.

Adding a New Item

1. From the Joomla backend, go to Components > Mx Menu Creator > Items.
2. Click the New button in the toolbar.
3. Fill in the item details:

   Basic Information:
   - Title: The name of the menu item (required).
   - Alias: (Optional) URL-friendly alias.
   - Image: Upload or select the main image for the item (required). Recommended size: 1170px x 800px.
   - Image Layout: Choose the layout (Square, Rectangle, Tower, or Original).
   - Allergens: (Optional) Add allergen images using the subform (add/remove/move buttons).
   - Description: Detailed description of the item (required). Use the editor for formatting.

   Additional Settings (Sidebar):
   - Price: Enter the price (optional).
   - Category: Select the category this item belongs to.
   - Status: Set to "Published" to make it visible.
   - Language: Choose the language.
   - Access: Set access level.
   - Created: (Optional) Set creation date.
   - Created By: (Optional) Set the author.

4. Click Save & Close to create the item.

Editing an Item

1. Go to Components > Mx Menu Creator > Items.
2. Click on the item title or select it and click Edit.
3. Make your changes and save.

Deleting an Item

1. Select the item(s) in the items list.
2. Click Delete in the toolbar.
3. Confirm the deletion.

Creating Menu Items (Joomla Menus)

To display your menu creator content on the frontend, you need to create Joomla menu items that link to the component's views.

Adding a Menu Item

1. From the Joomla backend, go to Menus > [Your Menu Name] (e.g., Main Menu).
2. Click New in the toolbar.
3. In the "Menu Item Type" section, click Select next to "Mx Menu Creator".
4. Choose the appropriate view:
   - Default: Displays a list of items (can be filtered by category).
5. Configure the menu item:
   - Menu Title: The text that appears in the menu.
   - Alias: URL-friendly alias.
   - Parent Item: (Optional) Set a parent menu item.
   - Status: Set to "Published".
   - Access: Set access level.
   - Link: The URL will be auto-generated.

6. For the Items view, configure the display settings:
   - Category: Choose to show items from all categories or a specific one.
   - Ordering: Select how items are ordered (e.g., by creation order, title).
   - Style: Choose the layout style (Default, Carousel, Tabs, Simple, Scrolling, Animated, Replace, Classic).
   - Version: Select Dark or Light theme.
   - Columns: Number of columns to display (1, 2, or 3).
   - Limit: Maximum number of items to show (default: 12).
   - Item Height: Set height for carousel style (various options like 600px, 80vh).
   - Opacity: Background opacity for overlays (0.1 to 0.9).
   - Thumbnail Style: Square or Round thumbnails.
   - Thumbnail Type: Masonry or Square layout.
   - Show Allergens: Enable/disable allergen display.
   - Use Allergen Thumbnails: Use thumbnails for allergens (if enabled).
   - Popup Image: Image layout for popups (Default, Square, Rectangle, Tower).
   - Show Readmore: Enable/disable readmore links.

7. Click Save & Close to create the menu item.

Editing a Menu Item

1. Go to Menus > [Your Menu Name].
2. Click on the menu item title or select it and click Edit.
3. Make changes and save.

Deleting a Menu Item

1. Select the menu item.
2. Click Delete in the toolbar.
3. Confirm the deletion.

Additional Tips

- Publishing: Ensure categories, items, and menu items are published to appear on the frontend.
- Ordering: Use the ordering feature in lists to control the display order.
- Modules: The component includes a module (mod_mxmenucreator) that can be used to display menu items in module positions.
- Permissions: Check user permissions if certain actions are not available.
- Caching: Clear Joomla's cache after making changes to see updates immediately.

Troubleshooting

- If items don't appear, check that they are published and assigned to a published category.
- Ensure menu items are linked correctly and the menu is assigned to a module.
- Check error logs in Joomla's global configuration for any issues.

For more advanced configuration, refer to the component's configuration options under Components > Mx Menu Creator > Options.